MVP 06 NCAA Baseball Review (Xbox)

[Shaver]

Quote: Originally Posted by KBomber

That's a brilliant reply. Thank you for that Have fun.............

What would you prefer I do? Tell you that your opinions are "fraudulent" because they don't mirror mine?

Your assesment and "review" of the game and it's merits is great... unfortunately... you didn't write the review. I did. My opinion about the game is expressed in the article. Never does it say that my opinion is correct nor that other's opinions are incorrect. That's why I find it so comical (hence the laughing icon) that people find it necessary to deem other people's opinions false because it doesn't shadow their own.

The "Online Everywhere" integration is a non-issue for people without online capabilities... TRUE

The person who reviewed it had online capabilities.... TRUE

The integration was therefore a factor....TRUE

I can't score a game based on factors that I don't have at my disposable.

Should I rate a game down because left-handed people have a hard time playing it? Don't know... I'm right handed.

I thank you for expressing your opinion and making that post that someone was eventually going to make anyway.

I'm sorry that you did not get the same level of enjoyment out of the title that I do.

[KBomber]

Quote: Originally Posted by Clay_OS

What would you prefer I do? Tell you that your opinions are "fraudulent" because they don't mirror mine? Your assesment and "review" of the game and it's merits is great... unfortunately... you didn't write the review. I did. My opinion about the game is expressed in the article. Never does it say that my opinion is correct nor that other's opinions are incorrect. That's why I find it so comical (hence the laughing icon) that people find it necessary to deem other people's opinions false because it doesn't shadow their own. The "Online Everywhere" integration is a non-issue for people without online capabilities... TRUE The person who reviewed it had online capabilities.... TRUE The integration was therefore a factor....TRUE I can't score a game based on factors that I don't have at my disposable. Should I rate a game down because left-handed people have a hard time playing it? Don't know... I'm right handed. I thank you for expressing your opinion and making that post that someone was eventually going to make anyway. I'm sorry that you did not get the same level of enjoyment out of the title that I do.

As said:

Quote: Originally Posted by KBomber

An overwhelming review for what is only a good game. Not great. Good. There are some nice additions on the side of animations, but look at the overall graphical package, the features that have been removed and the general lack of character exhibited by this game and I'd argue that you have a game that has taken more of a sideways or even a backwards step than MVP 2005

You can avoid all the issues with the game if you want, but I believe it does a disservice to your readers. I think we need to stop accepting anything that just makes it's way on down the pipe and start demanding that companies, especially ones like EA, begin to push the limits of their offerings. Like I said, you are way overboard in your praise of the game

Have fun.................

[mjb2124]

Quote: Originally Posted by KBomber

Like I said, you are way overboard in your praise of the game

It's his opinion and his review of the game. How can you state that someone else's opinion is wrong because it doesn't coincide with yours?

I can also guarantee that Clay didn't give it a free pass because it was made by EA.

[KBomber]

Quote: Originally Posted by joeboo

I can also guarantee that Clay didn't give it a free pass because it was made by EA.

9/10 suggests otherwise

Have fun.........

[Shaver]

Quote: Originally Posted by KBomber

As said: You can avoid all the issues with the game if you want, but I believe it does a disservice to your readers. I think we need to stop accepting anything that just makes it's way on down the pipe and start demanding that companies, especially ones like EA, begin to push the limits of their offerings. Like I said, you are way overboard in your praise of the game Have fun.................

Again... I appreciate your opinion and if you reread my review you will see that I specifically pointed out the graphics (not including animations) and sounds as a negative to the title. However, (again) as mentioned in the article, I don't put nearly the same importance on those elements as I do gameplay. The review would have likely sounded much different from someone who does hold visual and audio enhancements to a higher level of importance. And, that person wouldn't be wrong.

And, furthermore, a College Baseball game shouldn't have the same "character" as a MLB Game. It's not the same product.

[Shaver]

Quote: Originally Posted by KBomber

9/10 suggests otherwise Have fun.........

[mjb2124]

Quote: Originally Posted by KBomber

9/10 suggests otherwise

Actually it suggest that HE enjoyed the game and thought it was a good game.

[KBomber]

Quote: Originally Posted by Clay_OS

Again... I appreciate your opinion and if you reread my review you will see that I specifically pointed out the graphics (not including animations) and sounds as a negative to the title. However, (again) as mentioned in the article, I don't put nearly the same importance on those elements as I do gameplay. The review would have likely sounded much different from someone who does hold visual and audio enhancements to a higher level of importance. And, that person wouldn't be wrong. And, furthermore, a College Baseball game shouldn't have the same "character" as a MLB Game. It's not the same product.

I appreciate your viewpoint but will say this. If we look at any scoring system we have to consider that when we assign full value 10/10 we are assessing all elements included to be superior.

If we step out of sports gaming for example, and look at a game like Ninja Gaiden Black, we see a game that combines flawless gameplay, beautiful presentation, along with fine-tuned attention to all details, whether they be sound, presentation, or any other part of the gameplay experience

Using that as a mindset, let's look at MVP 2006. Is the gameplay there? Sure for the most part it is and it even exceeds MVP 2005 in some areas of animation, as more have definitely been added, and in some of the gameplay features like analog fielding and hitting. But when we consider all the other elements of presentation and graphics, how do we assess the overall experience? To your own review, the graphics are well below the established standard for this current level of hardware. EA has been trotting out inferior graphical presentations, especially on the Xbox, where the standard practice has always been to do a straight port over from the PS2. That needs to be considered in any review

Similarly, and you have highlighted it, in other areas such as the commentary and even in the dynasty mode, MVP 2006 is below the standard of established titles in the EA family. The dynasty mode is decent but not as deep as either MVP 2005 or, should we compare to another NCAA property, any NCAA Football title circa 2003. In terms of the graphical presentation provided by even mundane elements like the menus and cut-scenes, again we see a product that is below established levels, not even comparing outside of EA properties, but within those

To my point, what we have is a game that plays well but falls short of the water mark in many other areas. A 9/10 suggests that it is above average in all areas, let alone gameplay. Understand, I am a fan of the MVP engine. I'm not a fan of the rest of the elements that should combine to make it a well-rounded title. I understand that a game can be incredibly fun to play and not be a beauty to look at, but at some point we do need to consider where the median is in the industry at large. Graphically and presentationally, MVP 2006 doesn't get there and regresses in those elements from last year. Does it need to have the same character as MVP 2005? No but it should have some character. Titles like NCAA Football and College Hoops have shown that you can do that, even with generic players

I can understand a score within the 7.5 - 8.0 range, but like I said, your score is over the top and doesn't take into consideration the critical elements of graphics and presentation that you yourself mention as being below par

They are still called "videogames" so those elements do need to be weighted to the capabilities shown by both current and next gen

Quote:

The graphics and sounds in this title are not nearly as polished as one would expect from a major release. The animations seem to be improving, but the player models themselves really look no better than back in the Triple Play days. Sure, it is gameplay over graphics for me, but the hardware is there. Pretty it up a bit.

You said it, I didn't. Your comments represent a graphical degradation of over three editions of the game

Bottom line, the score isn't reflective of the game and the overall tenor is much too agreeable to a product that misses the mark as much as it hits the sweet spot


Have fun.............